Mining machine



@wh. W 1933. M. s. MOORE MINING MACHINE Filed July 29, 1931 4Sheds-Sheet 1.

M. S. MOORE MINING MACHINE Oct, EH 1933.

Filed July 29, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 H HHHI'II'IIH M. S. MOORE MININGMACHINE Oct. 10 1933.

Filed July 29, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 \M M n Mr w 4 Oct. 10 1933. M. s.MOORE 1,930,016

MINING MACHINE Filed July 29, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Oct. 10,1933 UNITED STATES MINING MACHINE Matthew Smith Moore, Malvem Link,England, assignor of one-half to Mark Frederick Higgins,

Worcester, England Application July 29, 1931, Serial No. 553,835, and inBelgium August 8, 1930 18 Claims.

My invention relates to mining machines for loading coal or otherminerals shot down on the coal face and transferring the coal or othermineral to a conveyor, shaker or the like adapted to remove same towagons, tubs or the like.

It has for its object to provide a machine of this kind which will havea gathering and conveying device projecting from one side thereof, saiddevice being adapted to clear its way through the broken down materialand load the same while travelling along the coal face.

Another object is to provide a loading bar which will be particularlysuitable for gathering purposes, and to use this bar in conjunction witha comb shaped member over which the coal or other material is pushedonto a conveyor.

A further object of my invention is to combine two loading bars with aconveyor, thus making it possible to load while travelling in eitherdirection.

A further object of my invention is to combine a gathering and conveyingdevice of the type referred to with a cutting means, so that the machinecan be used as a cutter and as a loader,

the machine working as a cutter when travelling one way and as a loaderwhen working its way back.

Still a further object is to provide a pivoted connection between thegathering and conveying device and the body of the machine so that saiddevice may be swung from one side of the machine to the other to meetrequirements.

These and further objects of my invention will be better understood fromthe following description of two embodiments of my invention taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view diagrammatically showing the general arrangementof a loading machine embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a section on the line A-B of Fig. 1 showing the conveyor inside elevation.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the general ar- As rangement of the samemachine.

Fig. 4 is a view to a larger scale, showing the conveyor and one of theloading bars, in section.

Fig. 5 is a top view of a portion of the loading bar and the combmounted on the adjacent side of the conveyor.

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic showing of a modified arrangement of the teethon a bar as shown in Fig. 5.

Figs. '7 and 8 show a tooth of the loading bar respectively in front andside view.

Figs. 9 and 10 are similar views of a tooth of the comb on the conveyor.

Fig. 11 is a view of a loader-cutter in side elevation showing theconveyor in alignment with the machine casing, one side wall of saidcasing being removed to show the gearing therein.

Fig. 12 shows the loader-cutter in plan view in the position of taking asinking cut in the coal, the conveyor being turned to the opposite sidefrom the cutter chain member.

Fig. 13 is another plan View of the loader-cutter showing the conveyorin the lengthwise position as in Fig. 1, this being the position duringcutting operations.

Fig. 14 also shows the loader-cutter in plan view, but in the loadingposition with the conveyor on the same side as the cutter chain member.

Fig. 15 is a side view of the loader-cutter, as seen from the left sideof Fig. 14.

Fig. 16 shows a cutter pick and Figs. 17 .and 18 respectively show twoviews at right angles to each other of a scraper adapted to be fitted tothe chain when loading takes place.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 10 of the drawings, 1 and 1a indicate therotating loading bars which are mounted on each side of the conveyor 2as cantilevers on the frame or casing 3 which also supports one end ofthe conveyor 2, a motor 4, and a haulage gear 5. Each of the bars 1 and1a is provided with teeth 6 equally spaced, which may be arranged instraight lines as shown in Fig. 5 or helically as shown in Fig. 6.Between the teeth 6 of the bars 1 and 1a are the teeth '7 of two combs 8and 8a secured on each side of the conveyor 2 and forming each acontinuous bridge filling the whole gap between the frame of theconveyor and the adjacent bar. The teeth 6 and 7 are preferablyremovable and have a dovetailed engagement with suitable grooves in thebars and combs respectively. This dovetailed form can be seen at 6a inthe Figures '7 and 8 for the teeth 6, and at M in the Figures 9 and 10for the teeth 7. The gaps between the rows of teeth 6 on the bars may befilled up with blocks 6b (Fig. 4) to avoid any coal lodging therein.

Within the casing 3 the bars 1 and la are extended by the shafts 11 and11a which may each be integral therewith and they are firmly supportedin suitable bearings in such a way that the bars are adapted to revolveon their axes under action from the motor 4.

The movement of the motor is transmitted to the bars by suitable trainsof reduction gears such as those diagrammatically indicated in Fig.

l which comprise, from the motor, bevel gears operates.

12, a pair of spur gears 13, a worm 14, a worm wheel 15 mounted on ashaft 16, and three spur pinions 17, of which thelast is keyed to theshaft 11 of the bar 1, which thus is driven at a low speed. Two sets ofbevel gears 18 and 19 and a shaft 20 transmit the movement of the bar 1to the bar 1a, which turns at the same speed as bar 1, but in theopposite direction.

By means of a worm keyed on to the shaft 21, behind the bevel gear 12,in mesh with a worm wheel 22 on the shaft 23 and bevel gears 24, themotor 4 drives the haulage gear 5, whilst, on the other side it drivesthe transporter 2 by means of bevel gears 25, of which one is keyed onthe shaft 16 mentioned above and the other on the shaft 26 of theconveyor.

The conveyor 2 may be of any suitable type. In the present instance itcomprises two endless chains 27 interconnected by bars 28 and guided oneach side of the conveyor in its side members 29 (Fig. 4) which have aU-shaped cross-section. These chains pass over chain sprockets at thetwo ends of the conveyor and are driven by those keyed on the shaft 26.The upper race of the chain runs on a steel plate 30 which the bars 28scrape in taking the coal from the free end of the conveyor towards theend held in the side casing 3 i. e. from left to right in Figs. 1 and 2.As shown in Fig. 2 the right hand portion 2a of the conveyor 2 isupwardly inclined so that it reaches the level of the shaker conveyor 31or other type of conveyor with which the loader co- A small bridge 32extends from the extremity of the conveyor 2 to the edge of the conveyor31 along which it can slide and follow the oscillations of theconveyor31.

In operation the loader is placed on the face in such manner that thebars 1 and 1a and the conveyor 2 are at right angles to the line offace, whilst the casing 3 is parallel to the face and to the shakerconveyor 31. The haulage cable is placed around the anchored pulley 34and attached at 35 to the casing of the machine and the controllingcable 36 is fixed to the anchor post 37 after having passed round. thereturn pullies 38 carried on thecasing 3.

Under these conditions, when the motor 4, which is preferably electric,is started, the haulage drum 5 rolls in the cable 35 and lets out thecable 36 in the known manner and the machine advances in the directionof the arrow at (Fig. 1) along the face, sliding on the skid 39.

At the same time the conveyor 2 commences to operate and the bars 1 and1a are set into rotation. The bar 1 which is in advance of the conveyor2 in the direction of progress of the machine, attacks the coal brokendown along the face. Rotating in the direction of arrow :11 (Fig. 4) theteeth 6 engage under the broken pieces of coal, lifting same and pushingthem on the teeth 7 of the flat-topped comb 8 whence they pass under thepressure of the pieces following on to the conveyor 2 which carries themaway and empties them into the shaker conveyor 31. To avoid all dangerof an accident, the bar running idle may be covered in, as shown in Fig.3, by a guard 41 extending its whole length.

As the machine advances the props 42 which are in the way of themachine, can be removed and replaced after the machine has passed, sothat the roof is never unsupported over any great area, thus avoidingall danger of roof collapse. Again as the machine is very low there islittle risk of jamming against the roof even when .the roof is extremelylow.

After the machine has passed a new quantity of coal is broken downbehind it and when the machine reaches the end of the face it is pushedfurther into the broken coal and then is made to travel in the oppositedirection (Fig. 3) the cables 33 and 36 having been suitably anchored.The bar 1a which now finds itself in front of the conveyor 2 in thedirection of advance (arrow 2 Fig 3) and has had its cover 41 removed tothe bar 1, gathers in its turn, the coal and pushes it on the conveyor 2where it is received by the comb 8a.

In this direction the machine can load all the coal just to the end ofthe face whilst in the other direction, the casing 3 touching the end ofthe face prevents the bar 1 from going right to the end so that thereremains a small quantity of coal to be hand got between this bar and theend of the face. I

The loading of the machine is made without powdering or breaking thecoal as the bars simply roll the pieces of coal over them and the combson to the transporter 2. There is therefore practically no production ofdust which is of considerable advantage. On the other hand no specialinstallation or preparations are necessary for the employment of thismachine and existing shaker or other types of conveyors or tubs can bemaintained.

The loading-cutting machine illustrated in Figs. 11 to 18 comprises,like the loading machine described above, a loading bar 1a, a conveyor2, a gear casing 3, a motor 4, a haulage gear 5 and an under carriage orskid 39. The teeth 6 of the bar 1a which co-operate with the teeth ofthe comb 8a secured on the conveyor 2, are herein shown in an improveddouble helical formation which is favourable to the loading action.

In addition to the bar 1a and conveyor 2, the machine casing 3 carries acutter chain 9 mounted on an outwardly projecting jib 10. When themachine is in the loading position as shown in Fig. 14, the conveyor 2extends parallel to the jib 10, the bar 1a being on the side of theconveyor remote from said jib. Whilst the cutter chain jib is rigidlyfixed to the casing 3, the conveyor 2 and the bar 1a are carried by acasing 3' pivotally mounted on a turntable 43 on the under carriage 39,so that they can be turned by hand or otherwise to bring them intoalignment with the casing 3, as in Fig. 13, or to the side opposite thechain cutter 9 as in Fig. 12. Suitable means may be provided for lockingthe casing 3 in any of these positions.

Haulage gear 5, cutter chain 9, conveyor 2 and loader bar 1a. areoperated from the motor 4 by means of the following gears andconnections (Figs. 11, 13, 14 and 15):

By means of a worm 44 and worm wheel 45 the shaft 21 of motor 4 drives ashaft 46 which operates the haulage gear 5 by means of pinions 47 andbevel wheels 48.

On shaft 21 is also secured a spur wheel 49 which, through idler 50 andgears 51, 52, rotates a pinion 53 rigid with a worm 54 meshing with atoothed rim 55 secured to drum 56 operating the cutter chain 9.

Under the shaft 57 carrying the gears 51, 52 is a shaft 58 carrying atone end a pinion 59 meshing with gear 51 and at its other end a worm 60meshing with worm wheel 61 on shaft 62. (Figs. 11 and 13). In thepivoted casing 3' is mounted shaft 20 which drives the conveyor 2 bymeans of sprocket wheel 64 (Fig. 15) In the loading position, as shownin Figs. 14 and 15,

shaft 20 is in alignment with shaft 62 and these two shafts may becoupled together by means of a removable coupling sleeve 63, thussetting up an operative connection between motor 4 and conveyor 2.

In addition to conveyor 2, shaft 20 drives the shaft 11a of the loaderbar 1a by means of bevel wheels 6.5, vertical shaft 66 and bevel wheels67.

In the sinking and cutting positions (Figs. 12 and 13) shaft 20 is outof alignment with shaft 62 and thus is disconnected from the motor 4.

The machine above described is adapted to travel to and fro on the coalface 68 in working as a coal cutter in one direction and as a loader inthe other.

At the commencement of the cutting shift (Fig. 12) the transporter 2 andthe bar 10. are turned to the opposite side from the cutter chain 9,thus giving freedom of action to the cutter chain and reducing thelength of the machine so that the chain jib can be brought as closely aspossible to the rib side for starting the sinking cut. The cutter chain9 is sunk into the coal to form the undercut 69, then the machine ishauled along the face by means of the haulage gear 5 and the cable 33passing around the anchored pulley 34. As the machine progresses itundercuts the opening 69 (Fig. 13) and when it has moved clear of therib side, the casing 3 carrying the transporter and the bar is swunginto alignment with the main casing 3, so that the machine has a minimumwidth and can pass between the face and the line of props 42.

At the other end of the face 68 (Fig. 14) the machine is converted intoa loader by swinging the conveyor 2 and the bar 1a alongside the cutterchain jib 9 and the two shafts 62 and 20 are coupled together by meansof the coupling 63. To this end, when the coal overhanging the undercut69 has been broken down a space is handcleared to give room to swinground the conveyor and bar. The cable 33 and return pulley 34 then arearranged to suit the return movement of the machine (Fig. 14) and themachine now operating as a loader, is hauled in the opposite directionas shown by the arrow in Fig. 14, the bar 1a lifting the coal 40 towardsthe conveyor 2 which carries it over the bridge 32 into the shakerconveyor 31, whilst the haulage pulls the conveyor 2 into the loosecoal, as explained above.

Before loading is started the cutter picks 70 may be removed from thepick boxes on the chain 9 and scraper tools 71 (Figs. 14, 17 and 18)inserted in some of said boxes. The movement of the chain then beingreversed by means of a suitable reversing gear (not shown) the scrapers'71 will during the loading operation sweep clean from the pavement thesmall pieces of coal and dust which the bar 1a may not have lifted,depositing such material between the machine and the conveyor 31, whereit can easily be shovelled up into the shaker conveyor.

To the undercarriage 39 or to the casing 3' of the conveyor 2 may beadapted a triangular shield 72, to sweep towards the loader bar 1a anypieces of coal, that in the breaking down, may have spread out from thecoal face.

In order that the machine may easily move on uneven ground theundercarriage 39 may conveniently be made in two parts connectedtogether at 73 as shown in Fig. 15.

When the machine in loading has reached the end of the face the conveyor2 and the loading bar are turned through 180 after having been uncoupledat 63, and the chain can be again sunk into the coal so as to resumeundercutting.

It will be understood that in place of a cutter chain, a cutter bar maybe employed for the same purpose and that the constructional detailsdescribed above, which are given as an example, may be changed withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention, as defined by the appendedclaims.

I claim:

1. In a mining machine, the combination with a frame, of a toothedloader bar, an endless conveyor extending alongside of said bar, a guidebetween said bar and said conveyor, said guide having a toothed marginalportion and a continuous body portion occupying the space between saidbar and said conveyor, and means on said frame for driving said bar andsaid conveyor.

2. In a mining machine, the combination with a frame, of an endlessconveyor carried by said frame and extending transversely thereof, thefeeding end of said conveyor projecting beyond one side of said frame,an overhanging toothed bar projecting from the side of said framealongside the feeding end of said conveyor, a toothed member extendinglongitudinally of said conveyor and filling from end to end the gapbetween said bar and said conveyor, and power means on said frame fordriving said conveyor and said bar.

3. In a mining machine, the combination with a frame, of an endlessconveyor extending across said frame and having its feeding endprojecting beyond one side thereof, a toothed loader bar extendingalongside the feeding end of said conveyor, and a comb interposedbetween said bar and said conveyor, said comb filling from end to endthe longitudinal gap between said bar and conveyor.

4. In a mining machine, the combination with a frame, of an endlessconveyor projecting outwardly from one side of said frame, a rotatableloader bar extending alongside of said conveyor, dovetailed teeth placedin helical formation on said bar, and a comb interposed between said barand said conveyor, the teeth on said bar filling substantially the gapsin said comb, said comb being mounted on the side of said conveyor nearsaid bar.

5. In a mining machine, the combination with a frame, of an endlessconveyor having its feeding end projecting outwardly from one side ofsaid frame, a rotatable loader bar extending alongside of said conveyor,dovetailed teeth in removable engagement with grooves in said bar, astationary flat topped guide member secured to the -side of saidconveyor adjacent said bar, and dovetailed teeth in removable engagementwith grooves in said member, the last mentioned teeth extendingsubstantially across the whole width of the gaps between said firstmentioned teeth.

6. In a mining machine, the combination with a frame, of a cutter memberprojecting outwardly from one side of said frame, an endless conveyorhaving its feeding end projecting from the same side of said frame, aloading member extending alongside of said conveyor, and a guide havinga marginal toothed portion and a continuous body portion bridging thegap between said bar and said conveyor.

7. In a mining machine, the combination with a frame, of a cutter memberprojecting outwardly from one side of said frame, an endless conveyorprojecting from the same side of said frame, a toothed loading barextending parallel to said conveyor and a comb-shaped guide occupyingsubstantially all the space between said bar and conveyor.

8. In a mining machine, the combination with a frame, of a loadingmember, a guide member and an endless conveyor pivotally mounted side byside on said frame, the feeding end of said loading means projectingbeyond one side of said frame when in its operative position, and meanson said frame for driving said loading means.

9. In a mining machine, the combination with a frame, of a loadingdevice pivotally mounted on one end of said frame, said loading devicebeing adapted to be swung through 180 from a position at right angles tosaid frame, means on said frame for driving said loading device when inan operative position at right angles to said frame, and means forautomatically disconnecting said driving means from said loading devicewhen the latter is moved away from said operative position.

10. In a mining machine, the combination with a frame, of a cuttermember projecting from one side of said frame, a loading devicepivotally mounted on said frame, said loading device comprising atoothed bar, an endless conveyor parallel thereto and a toothed guidemember between said bar and conveyor, the feeding end of said conveyorprojecting from said side of said frame when in its operative position,and means on said frame for driving said cutter member, said toothed barand said conveyor.

11. In a mining machine, the combination with a main frame, of an endframe pivotally mounted on said main frame, an endless conveyor carriedby said end frame, a co-operating loader bar extending alongside of saidconveyor and also carried by said end frame, said conveyor and barprojecting from one side of said frame when in their operative position.

12. In a mining machine, the combination with a main frame, of anendless conveyor, a loader bar alongside said conveyor, a comb-shapedmember interposed between said bar and conveyor,

. an end frame carrying said conveyor, bar and comb-shaped member, saidend frame being pivotally mounted on said main frame, and a cuttermember on said main frame.

13. In a mining machine, the combination with a main frame, of an endframe pivotally mounted on said main frame, an endless conveyor and aco-operating loader bar on said end frame, said end frame being adaptedto be swung through 180 from a position at right angles to said mainframe, a cutter member projecting outwardly from one side of said mainframe, means on said main frame for driving said cutter member, andmeans for operatively connecting said conveyor and loader bar with saiddriving means when said end frame is in parallel relation to said cuttermember.

14. In a mining machine, the combination with a main frame, of an endframe pivotally mounted on said main frame, said end frame being adaptedto take up a position at right angles to said main frame, a loadingdevice on said end frame extending longitudinally thereof, a power shafton said main frame, a shaft on said end frame for driving said loadingdevice, and means for coupling said shafts together when said end frameis in a position at right angles to said main frame.

15. In a mining machine, the combination with a frame, of an endlessconveyor projecting outwardly from one side of said frame, anoverhanging rotatable loader bar extending alongside of said conveyor,dovetailed teeth in removable engagement with grooves'in said bar, saidteeth being placed in double helical formation on said bar and extendingeach in a plane at right angles thereto, and a comb extending betweensaid bar and said conveyor and secured to one side of said conveyor,said comb occupying substantially all the space between said bar andsaid conveyor,

16. In a mining machine, the combination with a frame, of an endlessconveyor having its feeding end projecting from one side of said frame,a rotatable loader bar extending along the feeding end of said conveyor,and adapted to co-operate therewith, and a scraping device projectingfrom the same side of said frame on the side of said conveyor remotefrom said bar.

17. In a mining machine, the combination with a frame, of an endlessconveyor having its feeding end projecting from one side of said frame,a rotatable loader bar extending in front of the feeding end of saidconveyor and adapted to co-operate therewith, and a triangular shieldsecured to the front end of said frame.

18. In a mining machine, the combination with a frame, of an endlessconveyor having its feeding end projecting outwardly from one side ofsaid frame, a rotatable loader bar projecting outwardly from said framealongside of said conveyor, dovetailed teeth in removable engagementwith grooves in said bar, said teeth extending at right angles to theaxis of said bar, blocks removably engaging gaps between said teeth onsaid bar, and a comb carried by said conveyor, said comb having teethadapted practically to fill the gaps between adjacent teeth on said barand a substantially flat topped body portion bridging the gap betweensaid conveyor and said bar.

MATTHEW SMITH MOORE.

